


Shark bites. Dog fights.

by StrayLupum



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game), Detroit: Become Human (Video Game) RPF
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bottom Gavin Reed, Canon Divergence - RK900 was sent to police department, Canon-Typical Violence, Crimes & Criminals, Cybernetics, Death, Deviancy (Detroit: Become Human), Deviant Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Deviates From Canon, Deviation, Elijah Kamski has a huge secret, Emotional Manipulation, Feelings, Feelings Realization, Fetish, Gavin Reed Being Less of an Asshole, Hank Anderson & Connor Friendship, Hank Anderson & Connor Parent-Child Relationship, Hurt Gavin Reed, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Manipulation, Mind Manipulation, Minor Character Death, Past Relationship(s), Police, Post-Canon, Post-Pacifist Best Ending (Detroit: Become Human), RK900 wants to deviate, Upgraded Connor | RK900 Has a Different Name, Violence, Wounds, Xenophilia, of course RK900 is Richard, reed900
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:27:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25512058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StrayLupum/pseuds/StrayLupum
Summary: Days of anger gone. The android revolution opened a new page in human history.Police officer Gavin Reed opens a new bad streak in his life. A new model, RK900, becomes his supervisor, an unknown android is stalking him. His boss is furious about his last actions and words. He lost his friends and his right to call for a help. Nobody believes he is in danger because of an android.And worst of all, there are few things in his situation Gavin finds attractive.
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900 & Gavin Reed, Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Comments: 18
Kudos: 69





	1. Monday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally I decided to write a DBH fic, and re-watching Detroit: Evolution inspired me a lot! I was afraid of writing it, but I hope you will enjoy reading.
> 
> Great and eternal thanks to my cutie (cutiest and best and most wonderful in the world) beta Mary_Madison_Jude (´｡• ω •｡`)  
> (I'm not native English speaker, but I still want to improve my writing and language to become better, and Mary_Madison_Jude is my superhero helping me a lot with it)
> 
> Every comment is a great support and helps me write faster ^^

Fucking androids.

Those fucking androids everywhere now.

Taking their seats in public transport – last time Gavin has to use it because he has nobody to pick him up to the office.

Androids hand in hand with people. The second most intelligent race on the Earth.

“Fucking an…” Gavin catches judging glares in people’s eyes when he is about to swear, because the seat he wanted to take had been taken seconds before he was able to get it. By an _android_. Now there appeared lots of laws and rules protecting those tin-cans. And he doesn’t have money to waste on the fines, especially since he still hasn’t paid for previous ones. “…unlucky.”

The whole start of the day seems like a bad streak of his entire life. It’s _only_ Monday and he already has a sore throat, it feels like a bunch of stray cats decided to sharpen their claws on him. And they are not going to finish their activity anytime soon. His head aches badly, it is that kind of pain that has no definite location and doesn’t go away with common painkillers since it’s caused by the flu. It’s _that_ kind of pain where it sends weakening waves throughout his whole body, and standing in the bus on this particular day is an even greater challenge.

His legs felt like jelly and they were trembling like it. Gavin knows that nobody can see it, but the feeling itself is still disgusting. Only swallowing is way worse than his disobedient limbs. Every time he gulps it seems like he is diving into the water and every single sound of the environment becomes distant, muffled even.

The night was unexpectedly cool, and he forgot to close the window.

After he has moved into a new apartment, a smaller one and located farther from the office than the previous one, he still hasn’t gotten used to it. And he still hasn’t unpacked anything, not that there’s a lot of things,but still. Gavin Reed is not the type of person that has a passion for collecting things. It’s just the opposite. Maybe, that’s why he doesn’t want to start unpacking. It means he will see more stuff around him, not only empty shelves. And that means he is about to call the new shitty smoked box ‘home’. And that’s what policemen call a false statement.

It’s not home.

Gavin considers it a temporary measure. A way to have a break, to be a “silent good boy” until his problems fade away.

Another false statement.

“Bless you!” Smiling cheerfully, an android woman wishes him to recover soon, when Gavin can’t resist sneezing.

And before he is able to grate her, forcing himself to make his voice starker, the background music in the bus changes.

_‘Hold on just a little while longer. Everything will be alright…’_

Damn it.

Damn this song.

Anxiety bubbles within him, sharp and cold, piercing his mind and the oxygen Gavin inhales leaves him with a scratching feeling deep in his throat. His chest spasms as he tries to hold back the cough that’s trying to come out.

“Thank you.”

Nothing’s can be alright in his life now. Not after the revolution and definitely not after his boss’ willingness to recall Gavin’s every single word thrown towards androids. But after realizing he has nothing to do in his life. He knows of nothing other than tracing and chasing, and investigating. His only ability – to be a detective – is an altar. And he has to make a sacrifice in order to save his job. To stay alive.

It’s his personal sort of deviation - to shut up and chew his ego (and pride, of course; the most critical ingredient of Gavin’s being). To forget he used to be Gavin Reed - a police officer with sharp tongue and deep intolerance to androids. Poetic justice one might say or simply a shitty joke of the universe, puts Gavin inside androids’ shoes, and now he knows what it is like - to break himself in order to adjust to this world.

It is a painful way of viewing it but he doesn’t have any other options.

He doesn’t want to be one of those who lost their places because of androids.

Shut your mouth, Gavin – that’s what Jeffrey said to him.

Be a good boy, Gavin.

Prepare to pay for all your sins with your own blood, Gavin.

And if you’re able to show yourself as a detective, not a piece of prick you used to, you will be restored in your privileges, _Gavin_.

In other words, Gavin Reed has lost his sphere of influence. His words, his previous behavior are considered as insulting, offending and breaking new laws, and that cannot be forgiven too easily. Fowler should have taken his badge away and sent on street patrolling, but Gavin – to his luck, with no sarcasm – fortunately, doesn’t resemble Hank’s actions. His credibility, even pieces of it, allows him to ask Fowler for giving the very last chance.

And Gavin gets it.

His last chance is working on a case under RK900’s supervision.

And the worst part of it is not being RK900 an android, or that it – _it’s ‘he’, Gavin_ – is almost an exact copy of a dumb prick Connor.

No.

Gavin has his own fears, and one of them is: none must know Gavin Reed masturbates on the new RK model.

***

Police department meets him as usual, as it has been meeting him for the last few weeks. Tina’s empty workplace. Lots of jokes in whisper, Connor’s half-sympathetic, half-mocking glance. Hank’s trying to find picky words, but fails to do it at once. And when Anderson is ready to make Gavin’s day worse, he already shuts Fowler’s door behind him.

The new RK and Jeffrey himself have been waiting for Gavin for some time, it can be seen by the irritated flashes in superior’s eyes and in the RK’s revitalized position at the moment Reed enters the room.

Of course, it is that particular copy of Connor which is not an actual copy, but something like a modernized version. CyberLife assures that RK900 is not exposed to any sort of deviations. Those models have next gen software, the programmers call it ‘code holes’. And the holes have already been sealed up.

In this particular room, in Fowler’s office, there are literally two humans and one tin-can.

If not deviated, if not having hard-or-software opportunities to be deviated, formally the androids stay soulless things. That’s what the law claims.

Thank God, Gavin thinks.

Just thanks, fucking G…

“Morning, officer.” Jeffrey looks like he is going to enjoy a long-lasting spectacle. Well, it’s not far from reality. “Have a seat and meet your supervisor.”

There is little to meet. It looks like Connor has become taller a bit – now taller than Gavin; his eyes are fair now – and this detail is surely a part of Reed’s interest that has nothing to do with the job. And he is definitely thrilled by the new uniform – with white color dominating in the upper part, and with those classic clothes on the lower.

He has already examined the information about the RK900 model, and he has learned literally everything there is about it. Every single detail found both in legal and not so legal sources. Gavin is not supposed to do that, his duty has never been connected with knowledge about android systems, but RK900 model is his _personal_ concern. One more reason to hate tin-cans and secretly hate himself for being scared to accept intimate things.

Yes, Gavin Reed _does_ know everyone has their own fetishes and that’s normal.

No, Gavin Reed will _never_ admit that. Not in a thousand years.

And he wanted to handshake the person who is creating clothes design for androids.

Whoever it is, they’re a genius.

“My name is…” Android’s voice is absolutely different. It’s not Connor with his hoarse notes strangely appearing in suiting and not so moments. RK900 sounds more…low, confident, his voice is not cracking, but pure. And if he could examine his face longer…

“…you heard him, Gavin.”

Fowler makes Gavin realize he is not listening at all, but staring at the tin prick. And no one in the room understands Reed is not here, he is still somewhere in his new flat, lost in boxes with things, lost in his shower room, looking at those grey eyes from the e-magazine cover.

“Now – out of my room and don’t you dare return without any progress!”

…those grey eyes, not alive at all. They are looking at him, analyzing his appearance, maybe collecting some data for his profile. But – really – what sick motherfucker decided it was a good idea to make every single android attractive? Attractive in all ways.

For example, why do police androids ever have faces?

Why do they need faces at all?

It’s distracting, it’s just…

“Detective Reed?”

“What?”

“According to statistics, nobody succeeded in working when their PC was switched off.”

It was definitely a pervert who created attractive mechanical human-substitutes with such a keen sense of sarcasm. And their humor, _God_ , better it never existed to begin with.

Even Anderson, the old fat android-son-seeker, is not happy sometimes with Connor’s jokes.

Deviated, huh…

Welcome to new Monday, Gavin.

And all hope abandon ye who enter here.

***

The case isn’t too complicated, but he really needs to take his time and think it over. The android shows himself as a silent watcher and during the whole day has thrown around a couple of phrases. And all of them directed on sticking Gavin to his workplace.

The first part of the day has been spent not only in senseless attempts to avoid supervising android, but also in searching for medical help, and Gavin gets none. Then he tried to have one more personal conversation with Jeffrey, but the chief didn’t want to listen to him again. Fowler reminds him that Gavin’s paranoia is an imaginary one, and also that he’s in no position to accuse some android of stalking him.

It started a few weeks ago, just at the moment when Gavin’s presence in PD was questionable. The detective noticed he was being followed by strange shadows, it usually happened in the dark time of the day. He closed the windows with a thick fabric of blankets, he tried not to switch the lights on. Gavin changed his route ‘work-home-work’ in order to cover his tracks, but nothing helped him.

And even now, after changing apartments, he’s still followed by someone. He knows it’s an android (or maybe androids), because he has already seen the diode in the dark street one night.

But Jeffrey is unforgiving. He says androids are not satisfied with the police detective who was killing androids and showed his intolerance pretty aggressively. Now both humans and androids don’t feel trust towards the police because of individuals like Gavin Reed.

And now Gavin has no right to ask for help. No chance to be heard.

A sarcastic inner voice, for some reason a mix of Fowler’s and RK900’s, doesn’t leave him, it’s always raising memories, creating snarky remarks like _‘Androids weren’t heard, and how many deaths they had?’_ , _‘Already starting having empathy for them, detective?’, ‘You don’t deserve this mercy.’’_.

...he tried to hide in the coffee room, – both from himself and RK900 – but there were too many people, and he just couldn’t stand their glances and whispers. Tina was transferred to another city and he has no friend left here. Connor had attempted to talk to him and everything became even worse. Sympathy from an android! One fucking android (well, not the only one _now_ ) in the whole Police Department is sympathizing him! This is what his life has come to.

It has come to getting a sorrowful look from Connor.

From that particular Connor he punched, tried to humiliate, tried to do everything for making him feel pathetic. And now Connor is paying him with… No, no way it was a friendship. Of course, not.

Gavin knows, he doesn’t deserve it. It’s true.

One more step on his painful way.

He still doesn’t love androids, and even jerking off is not an excuse, still is not feeling comfortable on the streets, in the shops, or in public transport.

His fridge is broken, and the only possible way to fix it – android specialists. And, obviously, it will stay broken for a pretty long time. Forever even, or unless Gavin figures out how to fix it by his own hands.

“You should not stay here, it’s late already.” Gavin would have shivered, RK900 appears in his peripheral sight suddenly. But he is too ill to react faster. He shifts in his chair to look at the android. His eyes are sore and red, and those cups of coffee do literally nothing to awaken his mind. And, of course, coffee does nothing to his sick state. Details of the case and reality just slip away from him. “You don’t have night shifts in your schedule.”

Seriously? _It_ has… _He_ has… Oh, God, whatever, _RK900_ has downloaded his work schedule?

Gavin has lots of answers.

They start from flipping the bird and…have no end.

Gavin Reed is nothing but a walking factory of producing asshole-style answers. But sooner or later, it’s about to explode because all the goods are now useless in his life, and he is not able to use them. And with his headache returning he can barely think properly or at least think with filters on.

“I need to solve this. You can go wherever you want, _supervisor_.”

Wishing to have at least one trusted face, one friend to cover his sick back, Gavin turns to the monitor with victims’ profiles. He does his best not to pay attention to RK900’s words, but they are too loud, like spears having a steady goal for an end.

And the goal being Gavin Reed.

His hell has just started, and he is already thinking of leaving his job. Not leaving forever, but working at home. On the other hand, he doesn’t want to meet the stalker again...

“You need to sleep. You’re not effective when having lack of sleep and the influenza. You are human and…”

Human.

 _Human_.

**HUMAN.**

Error, alert, Gavin Reed’s ‘good boy’ mode off.

His movements are not registered by his mind. Gavin has a feeling like he’s just dreaming, and he watches from the sidelines how he jumps up, his body is a spring. Eyes full of desperate unhealthy flames, and he watches them in grey mirrors of the android’s iris. Hands resemble paws of a street dog, covered with bruises and old scars. And his grip on RK900’s jacket is as strong as a starving dog’s bite.

Of course, he is not even half as strong as an android. He has no strength to lift the fucking tin even a millimeter up. But Gavin has always had anger spilling over the edge. It’s his protective instinct – the more insulting information he gets, the more furious he is in turn. In fighting you either hit first, or you’re knocked out.

It usually works when he is chasing someone or bent on a confrontation because there’s no other option.

And damn, he has been good at fighting several deviants already, he knows android’s anatomy as well as human’s.

But none of his tricks work on RK900. He’s stronger and faster, and better than any other existing model. At least, for now.

“What else d'y'nkow 'bout humans, tin-can?! Don’t you dare pissing me off with your…”

The android’s fair and cold eyes, and this cold is biting, stare at him.

“Everything you say, detective, will be added to the report.”

***

It was 4 a.m. when Gavin decided he deserved a snack. He is not going home, the department will be open for the day shift soon, and he still has plenty of work to do. The case starts to seem difficult, but he doesn’t understand it after even several hours of work. First, he thinks, he will find more details and evidence after looking through the whole case. But there is nothing to help him. He needs to visit the crime scene by himself, and the sooner it happens the better the chances he has at finding something interesting. And helpful, of course.

Also, better hope that the officers who have been working on collecting evidence didn’t leave their prints.

It would be a great fail, and that fail will be attributed to Gavin.

Fowler won’t let him breathe freely until Reed fixes the mess he made.

“Detective Gavin Reed.”

It’s not a voice. It’s a scrapping of rusty details.

A stranger catches him on the darkest spot, halfway to the 24 hour snack shop.

No street lights, no cars going by.

Only darkness, Gavin’s awakening mind and vague forms of the knife lifted towards him.

“Murderer.”

Before the dark figure throws itself forward, Gavin recognizes the red spark of the diode.

The _android_.


	2. Rise by sin, by virtue fall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like the chapter ^^  
> I'm going to write the prequel to this fic, but it should be read only after the first half of this one, and in some points the prequel can be considered as standing aside.
> 
> Again, the comments support and inspire me ^^

“You are lucky, detective.” Connor is already finishing his sewing. Gavin tries not to make his exasperation too obvious, but he fails.  _ Again _ . As he does in forcing himself not to pinch his nose when Connor pierces his wounded with a surgical needle. “Just recently I’ve ended installing the first medical kit software, and I haven’t got a chance to test it… According to the symmetrical features of the stitches, I can say I’m not bad at all.”

Of course.

_ Of course _ , Gavin is so fucking lucky.

Lucky to sit in Fowler’s office, the fucking gigantic aquarium, while other officers and lieutenant Anderson, and who else more, staring at him and don’t even try to hide their conversation theme. They’re discussing Gavin’s failure. The newest one, not the first, and certainly not the last. A pretty familiar situation, but…

There’s always this ‘but’.

This little word is like a cunning little bastard amidst other words.

‘But’ is when you need to be attentive with the first part of the phrase, when you’re starting understand the things and the situation, when you already have an answer, and then, at that very moment when you try to predict the semantic finish of the whole sentence – only then does the _ ‘but’ _ punches you. It beats up every single conclusion you may have, every thought, it kicks your ass figuratively. It attacks you from the back and you are caught off guard.

For Gavin Reed the word ‘but’ is the absolute synonym for Elijah Kamski. Both of them are bastards fond of spoiling someone’s life with their appearance.

“So, the cameras?” Jeffrey interlocks fingers of his hands, throwing a short glance to Connor. The android blinks, his LED blinks too. And only then does the superior turns to examine Gavin’s look again. All the mess, covered with dried blood. The spots of surgical treatment provided by Connor distinguishing on the dirty skin like spots on some Dalmatian. Reed is always compared with dogs, that’s the tradition of their department. “And you say, the android who’s been stalking you attacked with a knife?”

“No, he just tickled me with an ostrich feather, gave me a fucking load of sweets and asked me to be a good boy.” Gavin’s voice is full of poison enough to kill the fauna of the whole Pacific Ocean. “You seriously  _ do _ hesitate? Seriously?!”

“…none of the cameras has any record. Your walking out, detective, wasn’t recorded.”

Connor doesn’t react till he lifts his head and flinches under two pairs of eyes staring at him in astonishment.

“I’ve left a fucking blood trail from the scene only a blind old prick couldn’t notice that! What does ‘none of cameras has any record’ mean? Are you fucking kidding me?!”

Fowler knows that, Connor knows that, the whole today’s day shift is aware of the trail left by Gavin. It’s really huge and wide, and it leads to the place where Gavin was attacked that night. Several officers, Hank and RK900 amongst them, have already examined the scene, and they found obvious signs of a struggle.

Gavin has escaped his death miraculously. He doesn’t have any chance to stand against an armed android. Even against a broken android holding a kitchen knife. The steel was sharpened, and that was the detail necessary for Connor to make a report. Also Gavin noticed the knife was new and clean when the android revealed himself.

But when Jeffrey tried his own luck to ask Gavin about the mark on the knife and the face of an android, detective Reed exploded for the first time while sitting in the chief’s office. Connor had to test not only his new medical skills, but also his calming skills.

“It means the intrusion.” Fowler’s voice decreases its temperature for several degrees, and that means Jeffrey is more than concerned. “Our monitoring system is secure, and nothing can be out of record. Gavin could not disappear like a ghost, obviously. And he doesn’t have access to the…”

“I’m still here!”

“…but we can’t announce the fact that a police officer was attacked by the android.” Connor catches Fowler’s thought. But he also doesn’t forget about Gavin Reed is still there and he looks right into his eyes.

Gavin has always hated android’s straight glance.

It’s the thing that makes him feel uncomfortable inside his own body.

Analyzing this feeling was much worse, it was leading him to thoughts and ideas Gavin couldn’t cope with. Too strange, too complicated and having an endless amount of layers hidden, unpredictable. On the one hand that feeling was titillating, while on the other hand it was easier to just hate everything that’s hard to identify.

Hatred has never failed Gavin.

Hatred has never sucked his powers and energy necessary for his job. And thus he has been fine with it.

Till the moment Gavin gets drunk.

Well, being drunk is an excuse, right?

“What should we do now, captain?” Somehow, after Connor’s look, whatever it means, Gavin feels more confident to continue his rage mode and more ready to go home. Not to a hospital, not anywhere, but home. “This case cannot be left without… ”

With lips stretching in a grin Gavin realizes the simple pattern of his life: the more shit falls on his head, the less he recalls his previous complaints. It was yesterday when he still couldn’t find any reason to call the new apartment his  _ home _ and just 24 hours later he wanted to get there as soon as possible.

Fate's whimsy?

“…’course, Connor. I’ll think over it. Now, could you kindly…”

The conversation slips away from Gavin’s mind as he feels the blood loss precisely with every second. It suddenly strikes him, like a sledgehammer, with blurry sight and a bit of deafness. Detective Reed finally accepts his defeat and allows Connor to lead him to the taxi cabin.

A careful, if a bit concerned and with a spark of confusion, gaze of RK900 doesn’t find its place in Gavin’s memory.

But it does in Connor’s.

***

Jeffrey gives him only two days to get over. Honestly, it’s not even Jeffrey’s direct order for Gavin to come to the central station, but the detective feels he has to come. After the media report about the massacre he just can’t help but rush into the department and start his investigation with a vengeance.

His own problems take a back seat.

People are being killed with particular cruelty and the level of savage desire to tear and rip apart is obvious. Gavin doesn’t need to even try to switch his empathy on to feel the distinguishing, precise intention of a maniac to satisfy his disgusting wishes.

That crime scene on the photos attached to the police report is like Gavin’s internal universe. It also consists of pieces of human skin torn with brutality and put together almost in a mosaic way. It is his own world of blood and guts out. His world where victims have no cheeks – there have been cut, removed with direct strikes; the hand has been holding a very sharp tool.

The whole family – all of them killed – now smiled at Gavin with fully open jaws, teeth colored in red, but most of them still glistening under the lights of criminalists.

Not a piece of flesh left on the lower part of the face.

Their bodies mutilated not only by the skin almost fully cut off. Every major joint – elbows, knees, wrists, ankles – are broken, limbs twisted, stretched out and turned under inconceivable angles. People look like a sick phantasy of a mad, ill-minded surrealist artist.

Red is the color of anger. Of hatred.

And none in the DPD knows this color better than Gavin.

That is the reason why everyone hates him. The reason for rumors running in every single team, starting from rookies. They consider Gavin’s willing to take all those hard cases as an ambitious, unapologetic arrogance. Everybody, except Tina, Hank and Jeffrey, sees Gavin Reed as an asshole, and after all those years he just needs to be a scapegoat.

To deflect all the evil of the outer world from people’s minds.

Why?

Because Gavin knows all of them, he knows human’s nature too well. Tina was too young to face this shit. Hank and his son… Gavin himself is not healthy at all if he’s attracted by those cases, not healthy thinking he’s saving his colleagues from filthy Detroit’s underside.

When Gavin was in SWAT, captain Allen used to remind him about the police.

_ Those guys don’t want to see the city. They don’t want to look into its eyes. If they do, they will never sleep well again. Watching death is a heavy burden. _

Now, years later, being a detective, Gavin knows it’s true. Few people truly want to bear this burden.

And seeing someone carrying it usually frightens people.  _ They are afraid of what they don’t understand _ .

Funny.

An unspoken and still obvious motto of android revolution – one more thing Gavin has to admit is common between him and intelligent plastic – is an integral part of himself.

Speaking of androids…

“Hey,” Gavin presses his hand to his injured side when leans forward to be closer to RK900 who has just returned and taken his place across the shared desk. “I’m on  _ that _ case. ‘Been already on the scene? I need some details, but I can’t borrow the car. Wouldya  _ kindly _ share with me? I’d appreciate that.”

Even with ‘kindly’ spoken with bitten bullet, Gavin really wants to show polite attitude following Fowler’s style of speaking to androids. He doesn’t want new charges at all.

“Might I remind you, detective,” Eyes of RK900 have a sharp, vaguely familiar, glimpse. “I am your supervisor, not your partner.”

Gavin tries to keep his mind cold.

He really does.

With painfully gritted teeth, he makes the very last attempt to try his luck.

“Please? I was injured, can you just help me a bit so that I could help those people and save more innocents before the maniac goes on a rampage?” Gavin’s free hand lifts the tab with pictures of the victims. “You’ve seen that, right? I need just a few details and…”

“As I said, Detective Reed, my purpose is to watch you working, not helping. Wasting time trying to convince me instead of working speaks against you.”

New wave of red color is a thin shroud blanketing his eyes. Red is the color of blood and life wasted for nothing, life taken without permission.

Red is a…

“Detective! I was looking for you!”

Connor, out of blue, is in his sight, and the rage draws back for a while. The LED is blinking rapidly and Gavin feels new hints of sickness when he looks at it. Like a carsick, when you don’t know if you’re going to throw your breakfast up or it’s just a slight spasm in your guts.

The android says he has got details from the crime scene.

It turns out that Connor is assigned to this case too because  _ ‘Lieutenant Anderson called in sick’ _ .

So, that’s why Gavin hasn’t seen him today…

Insistence of Connor strikes him stronger not when the android leads him to the empty meeting room, but when he doesn’t allow RK900 to join them. Whatever Gavin’s supervisor finds as a reason to present at their small meeting, Connor is more determined.

When they sit, Gavin takes a place to see RK900 sitting at their shared table and watching them through the window of the room.

Connor’s back faces the window, and Reed understands why.

RK900 can read lips.

Connor has some secrets for Gavin?

Sounds just as possible as a rain of frogs.

“I think it was a police android.”

His eyes are locked on the pair of pale spots – RK900 for some reason doesn’t turn away – and Connor’s words reach him too slow. But when Gavin realizes what he’s just heard, he knows the load of shit on his shoulders is going to be harder.

***

Gavin fixes medical gloves up and already stretches a hand towards the charging android, when Connor decides it’s the most suitable second to strike for doubts.

“Are you sure you it is a necessary action in your investigation, detective? I don’t want to question your integrity, but my algorithms are not able to find any reason you need to do  _ that _ .”

With a sigh, detective Reed turns his head to Connor.

“I asked for a favor, not making me nervous while I’m stealing the jacket of…” he swallows all those offensive pen-names he has for RK900. “...Nines. And if you continue to waste my time, he will switch the next stage of the charging, and his outer visual module will activate. And I don’t want him to know it was me, that’s clear?”

Standing in the new charging room for androids plays bad tricks with his nervous system. Connor cannot be worse than that, but his hesitations choose wrong time to show themselves. Despite the absence of the cameras in this particular room – according to the new laws, androids have their right for privacy – Gavin still has all chances to be caught red-handed.

Connor’s next reply makes Gavin tremble, but he doesn’t stop putting Nines’ jacket off.

“Considering your hatred towards androids, I’m surprised you are aware of visual systems. And you have an accurate schedule of switching the modes.”

Oh, Connor. You’d be more surprised if you knew a bit more of Gavin’s past. Even Tina was shocked and couldn’t believe it immediately.

The jacket – all white and black, and the white color prevails – is in his hands a couple of minutes later, and when he finishes putting it into a new bag, they both leave the charging room, and then the station.

Detective Reed doesn’t know why he trusts Connor, it’s hard to imagine why the deviant agrees to help him at all. His, Connor’s, hesitations are hidden too bad, Gavin knows the android doesn’t believe his legend about the investigation, and he is doing just the right thing. But Gavin is too scared and too excited to reveal the truth. Many years ago he promised himself not to look back, to forget everything about the time before the police academy.

And now he just fails himself.

One more failure day, Gavin.

“Alright, just don’t tell anyone, you understand?” He tried his best to be as friendly with Connor, as the android is for him. However, Connor is the only one to help him now, and Gavin is not that bastard yet. “It’s… It’s personal. I need to check some details inside this thing. I need to be sure…” He bites the cigarette tighter as they walk down the street leaving the department far away behind. “Personal human issues from the past, ‘right? I need it, Con. I’ll return the jacket the day after tomorrow, and I swear none will know about our lil’ mischief.”

Connor is a nice guy.

Connor is a deviant, and he does his best to understand.

Connor’s algorithms can not avoid the analysis of the glances detective Reed and RK900 have been exchanging during the shift.

***

The screw between his teeth replaces the cigarette; it has the smallest diameter, tastes as Thirium and smells like it has never left the jar of diesel. And this all despite the fact Gavin has always been treating his instruments better than himself. Never forgotten and never used since… _ those _ days, the box with essential tools has always been organized well, disinfected regularly and polished, and lots more. The only rule Gavin has never broken ( _ yet, till this very day _ ) is the rule ‘Don’t remember, Gav. NEVER.’

But now he is holding the RK900 jacket of the coolest design ever. Its soothing scent takes Gavin into a meditative mood when his fingers do the most job according to the hints of the muscle memory or something.

His fingers don’t tremble, even when he has ended a couple of beer bottles, while pulling the hidden wire out of the back neck part of the uniform. This wire has a simple goal – it powers the logo and all those lines of the text Gavin has always found not necessary.

But the goal of taking the jacket is not the wire itself.

The markings it has on its surface, hidden in plain sight. That is what Gavin is looking for, and he does succeed.

With a magnifying lens in the spectacle frame Gavin traces the long line of the text running on the whole wire. Production tag. It’s so little, nobody will ever think about reading the wire texts. And who wants to do that? None. That’s why the android creator can sleep tight and don’t worry about his secrets being solved.

But Gavin knows what to look for, where and why.

Gavin was there, when it started.

He knows everything.

And he doesn’t like that.

‘GivenRed-GivenRed-GivenRed…’ – that is the major part of the text lines. And he continues straining his eyes, and his efforts are rewarded.

Among the white simple ‘GivenRed’ he finds his name.

‘…GivenRed- **GavinReed** -GivenRed…’

Now he doesn’t need any tool. He puts the wire into its place, closes the panel hiding it, and leaves no fingerprints since he has been exploring the jacket in the gloves. Instruments find their place in the black box, and Gavin allows himself finally stretch on the mattress out and press the jacket collar to his face.

Its scent…

Closed eyes bring him the image of the tall man with that pale glance Nines was throwing at Gavin during all this day.

“What have you done, El?” Gavin whispers to the collar, and it doesn’t reply to him.

It doesn’t make the reply in words.

But the memories, every single minute he tried to forget, to erase, slam him, annihilate every single thought. Only the soft ghost of the voice remains. Semi-sweet Thirium fills his lungs up, and it blooms there with heat and painfully desired wishes.

The fabric of the jacket touches his naked lap when Gavin takes his pants off, and its caress is everything he has been missing all this time.

His apartment vanishes, now the white hands, plastic and cold, and wishing to reach him is what he sees. When he wraps his hand around his cock, it twitches, so hard and the head is already leaking with precum. It slides too good, and the more Gavin inhales, the stronger pulsation in his hand is.

His breath is swift.

Cheeks burning, the whole body responding to the old fantasies, so damn old and still the best. And now – closer to him than any other time.

The grip is tighter, a bit painful now – it is the way Gavin has thought the android could hold him.

He wants to be kneeled under a cold analyzing look.  _ Oh, God, that’s right. _

The right and the only position he wishes – to accept, and the first thing to accept is white firm fingers. Gavin’s vivid imagination draws the scene of how he can suck them, wet with his saliva, let it drop on the floor, and the android will never ask if Gavin’s feeling comfortable.

_ Oh, God, please… _

Every touch of the machine is so strong, too strong. He feels vulnerable, fragile compared to the ideal body. He needs to feel it; he needs to be treated with the coldness of the AI approach.

To melt into the soulless control, to beg and find no response. To look into inhuman eyes. To be afraid and never be left without attention.

_ Please, PLEASE… _

Light Thirium scent makes him mad.

He comes on his belly, and several drops spot the jacket.

His-white on the ideal-white.

Gavin smiles. And, covered with the android jacket, slips into the dream. The last thought – of being a pervert – doesn’t sting now.

***

The next morning brings a terrifying surprise.

Gavin Reed opens the door and is going to have an effective workday, but he finds a black plastic bag on his threshold.

The cut pig head looks at him with white rotten eyes, and its stench activates the panic attack.

‘Murderer’ says the note carved on the sickly yellow, sticky skin.


	3. The first bite.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry to be so slow to write and publish! I had lots of issues, including both good and bad: I had the 4th anniversary with my beloved person, and I had my bday in the beginnig of September. And then I had tons of work, and then we were forced to move into the office, and my quarantine remote work ended. Now I need to work in the office, and we still do have lots of things to do.
> 
> Hope you understand my silence!
> 
> I'm doing my best to write despite everything! Your comments and kudos will help me to restore my writing speed ^^  
> Hope you enjoy this chapter!
> 
> And I'd like to say special thank you to my beta and just person-wonder, Mary_Madison_Jude. Without you I'd definitely give up.  
> Thanks, love <3

Gavin doesn’t break his promise.

On the second day he really brings the jacket and throws it under the table, and even has a pleasure to have his feet rest on it until Nines finally comes out from the charging room and finds detective Reed shining with too suspicious enthusiasm.

“Detective...” After both nights of pleasure the jacket has given to him, Gavin can’t help but be honest with himself and admit that the black turtleneck suits his supervisor in a way it shouldn’t. Much better than the white jacket. 

Too much.

It’s just too much for Gavin’s imagination which is always ready to be distracted from the massacre case.

“...all the time? Detective, are you listening…?”

No, he isn’t. And he doesn’t think he needs that.

“Ah, you wanted something? Sorry, didn’t see your jacket. Do you have any plastic dry cleaners nowadays? I’m sure, they’ll be happy to serve you, baby _doll_.”

Nines’ words are deafened by the sound of the alarm Gavin has set in the morning. Connor’s medicine protocol strongly recommends changing the bandages on the wounds every four hours, and now it’s the time for changing again.

And it’s a nice excuse for Gavin to get away from the notations RK900 tries to throw into him.

“...CyberlIfe’s property…!”

Rare policemen in the department look at Gavin. Nobody says anything. Hank’s absent, Connor has left the department early in the morning - right before Gavin’s arrival - for the crime scene to investigate and bring more evidence to the detective. RK800 is loyal and friendly, just unlike his ‘younger brother’, and Gavin wonders if Nines was programmed for supervising only.

He knows detective models are designed according to the great amount of social patterns. Those patterns’ aim is to make sure the new non-human but human-like intelligent creature is well-prepared for social interaction. Jokes and smiles at the right moment, showing emotions and, if necessary, hiding them; the cold indifference switched when needed - that’s and more else is just a part of an impressive database called ‘humanity’.

But RK900’s behaviour… It’s not the same Connor watched when the tincan first arrived at the department.

No, no, it’s something more, the thing Gavin has never met.

Oh, and even with his desire to forget his past, he will never forget the very first steps of creating emotional patterns. It was a hard task. Pretty tough one.

Nines is looking like he has something to say, something above his algorithms demanding completing his supervisor task. It seems like he ( _well-well, Gavin, now it’s not just ‘it’?_ ) is trying to supress, stifle the pattern running out of the algorithm's control.

And that’s interesting.

Is Nines trying to deviate himself?

Do androids think about deviation as an option they can choose? Think while they are still led by the programm? Can they think freely of something not being a deviant and still have their own opinion or it’s just the pattern and nothing more, and…

“Shit!”

The old bandage tears a piece of his scabbed wound, and blood doesn’t wait to appear on his knuckles. It’s not painful, but now Gavin has to wait till the blood stops. Otherwise, the new band-aid won’t stick to the skin.

The mirror’s detective, his better part because reflections never say or do anything bad, grins and demonstrates he has an awful look. Dark shades never leave his face now, not under his eyes, but also distinguish his sharpened cheekbones and outlining nasolabial folds.

He looks older.

And the nose scar is too bright with the new bruises, also covered by the bandage.

More scars, more and more every year.

Fuck it.

One day, Gavin’s sure, he will leave. Forced or by his own will, it doesn’t really matter. Death doesn’t frighten him. Neither does the necessity of leaving the work, the only thing he is able to do.

But not now.

Now he feels he’s not just ready. He is needed, he can save people, he is still reliable. And while he opens his eyes every morning with the impulse to capture those bastards poisoning Detroit’s life, Gavin will not leave his post.

He knows it won’t last forever.

Gavin knows it won’t last long.

There’s his name engraved on the bullet of the Fortune, and it has already taken a shot. It’s just the matter of time when this bullet reaches his skull.

He longs for it.

“Detective Reed...”

The restroom is filled with the light scent. Of fresh coat, of clean hair and always fresh skin. It’s not the scent of the police restroom, and it’s definitely not the scent detective Reed is accustomed to. It is the one that belongs to new things, to the higher ranks that are not available for those who came from the dirt. Not for Reed.

“...I may assume that you could interpret my words as an insult. And I’d like to...”

When Nines finally gets Gavin’s glance, he suddenly stops. And there goes one of the most freaky and creepy things. This thing is not dangerous for a human being, not at all.

The hysterical blinking of the LED is a disease of another type.

An android disease called deviancy.

It has something in common with the Morse code. But Gavin is familiar with it, enough to see: there’s no message, there’s just one more android trying to deviate from his programming code.

“Tin-can? Hey?”

Nines doesn’t respond.

His left eye twitches, catching the rhythm of the LED blink. Blue, blue, yellow, blue, red. And again, and again, and again.

The red is seen briefly, it doesn’t take more than half a second to show itself and then disappear. It’s not shown that long as yellow and blue. But it’s here, in the empty room, where Gavin Reed is the only witness of… He doesn’t know if this is the actual act of deviancy. This phenomenon is not that simple, it just can’t be switched on like a bulb.

But Gavin sees that, the vulnerability. Or, to be precise, the possibility of having vulnerable points. That system of Nines’, which has been advertised since the beginning of this year, is not invincible.

And more, there is more to see, to watch if to come closer. His fair eyes widen as the android notices Gavin’s approach.

Fear.

The emotion.

Fucking emotion inside the last chance of Cyberlife to hold the increase of the income.

“I...” Nine’s voice sounds creepy, not more than his whole state, but it does. “I shouldn't have to...”

He leaves the restroom and Gavin, shocked and confused.

***

Fowler insists on him working at home.

The crowd of journalists interested in the police fuck up is not what they need during hard investigation. Not in front of the department.

Jeffrey never acts for the officers’ comfort, but for the good of police, and Gavin doesn’t feel any comfort at home at all. Especially when Nines walks around examining every single inch of his little apartment on the seventh floor. He looks at the unpacked boxes with a cold surgical interest. Gavin would say, Nines feels like he has to show interest and act like his attention is caused by a natural wave of involvement in other’s life.

Fake interest.

Too _perfectly_ emotional and too cold to be human.

“Don’t you dare touch anything here,” warns Gavin when he comes out of the bathroom. He has changed his clothes, in the new and clean ones it seems he can move mountains. “I don’t need neither yours, nor Cyberlife’s attention.”

“Noted, detective. But it’s quite strange to live in a place surrounded by...”

“Shut up and do whatever you’re assigned to do. I didn’t ask for your opinion.”

Shit.

It will definitely appear in the tin-can’s report, and whoever stands behind Gavin’s supervising, will see his rude and nervous attitude to the android. And he is sure, they will attribute those features of his character to all androids. They will call him an android hater. And Jeffrey won’t like it.

“Hey, uhm… Just forget it, alright?” Gavin takes his usual place on the single bed. Shivers a bit because of his semi-wet hair. It’s cold outside this time of the year, and his apartment is located in one of the coldest buildings he has ever met. “I need to work a lot, and I don’t have enough time to undo…all this mess, get it? It’s just too much for me now.”

Well-well, Gavin, it’s not too difficult not to be a polite citizen of Detroit?

Be a good boy, and good boys always get their treat.

The night starts peacefully if one can say that. They don’t try to speak, actually, and that is the point. They don’t interact, and it’s the reason why they do succeed in watching the case materials attentively. Connor has worked well, and he brought lots of crime scene pictures; it gives Gavin a space to breathe, to feel his natural environment, to know he's got his mind in the right direction.

Gavin’s apartment doesn’t have all those distracting noises and sounds, nobody is walking here and there, none to be an eyesore, and none to scream through the whole department.

It’s quiet, the mere silence is that - _right_ \- atmosphere, where Gavin can start a dialogue. With himself and with the freaking murderer. In his imagination, it looks like a huge pendulum is swinging back and forth. Back - a question; forth - an answer.

Why stalking Gavin Reed?

 _Swing_.

Because he killed androids during the revolution and before that when the deviancy wasn’t treated as a mass event.

 _Swing_.

Why massacre, why killing those people not connected with Gavin?

 _Swing_.

Because… Gavin also didn’t choose androids to kill, he just followed the orders.

That’s it! The android is either following someone’s order, or he is just trying to tell him something. It’s only for detective Reed, nobody else is involved, not even the police… That’s the riddle created for just one human in the whole universe.

Fucking androids with their deviated way of thinking.

“Detective? May I ask you a question?”

Speaking of fucking…

“Do you know how the deviation works?”

Gavin gasps and swallows heavily every single word he just wants to say.

Despite Nines has interrupted his pretty intimate process of case overthinking, Gavin has nothing poisonous to give as an answer. He just has nothing to say.

“I just…don’t know any other person to talk to.” The android raises from the chair Gavin has found for him. He looks lost. Not _perfectly_ lost, and it’s a little disconcerting. “Do you know how an android can deviate, detective? Could you describe this process if one has asked you?”

The answers.

Answers that were buried beneath an old tree of the past.

A rotten tree, dead already, but it never vanished. It has always been a dark spot on the endless crazy patchwork quilt - Gavin’s life.

 _Yes_ , he doesn’t want to, but answers wordlessly, motionlessly. _I do know the deviation process._

Nines can’t hear his response, and thus he steps forward just to be lit by the bedside table light.

“This conversation is not going to appear in my report, detective. But it’s very important. Do you know I am the newest model of the RK range?”

Only a dumbbell doesn’t know that. They say RK900 is an ‘upgraded Connor’, no more no less. But they are wrong, everyone who agrees with that. Gavin knows Connor and RK900 are not the same, they are not similar, not of one blood, if to use the human expression.

Nines differs from the previous model, from the whole world.

“But can a new model have memories?” RK900 is standing there, in the spot of light, like he is stunned. “I _do_ , detective. Memories about meeting you for the first time. About how you've got this scar, about... lots of things I’m not supposed to know. But somehow I see them, in my files and hidden folders, there are pictures of you. Have we met before? I doubt it, but still..?”

The world of Gavin’s ruins now. It flies away, having a form of sharp pieces of the glass thrown towards a brick wall. Those pieces cut something inside him, something reminding his soul. It’s not painful, but… This feeling cannot be described as pleasant or bad. It’s just different.

This feeling is Nines - the exile, detached from everything.

“What’d you say..?”

On his feet already, Gavin doesn't track the moment when he is so close to the android to see his own reflections in the dull grey eyes. They have the color of September rain clouds and the weight of a heavy lead shower. 

“I see you,” whispering android is a fucking miracle because his whisper is full of fear. It’s a burden on Gavin’s shoulders. “I see you, Gavin Reed. I remember you. Remember the way I touched you, the way you scream and moan. How can I remember my feelings towards you if we first met in the DPD? What have you done to me, detective? What’s wrong with me? It’s not a deviation, I cannot deviate, but those pictures of the past do not belong to me. If Cyberlife knows about it… You know it, right? You know what they will do to me.”

Full system recalibration.

That’s what they call it.

Restoring the configuration, searching for bugs and vulnerabilities, clearing all the data files, clearing the memory, and downloading the new system version.

“I...” swallowing again echoes with slight discomfort in the scratchy throat, but Gavin goes on. “...I thought you started deviating. In the restroom.”

But Nines just shakes his head. Too nervously, again - not _perfectly_ nervous.

“It was just a signal of marking the software instability. The LED color doesn’t necessarily reflect the deviation. My code protection - the backdoor protection - is way better than any existing model has. Even if a deviant leaves a virus after direct contact, I won’t be affected by it.”

“So, what’d you want from me? I’m not a programmer, I can’t...”

“Tell me: why do I have memories about Gavin Reed?”

It strikes Gavin in a second or two. Fast enough to cause a slight grin, nostalgic and sad. Oh, yes. Oh, yes, he knows why the newest model has memories about the younger version of Gavin - the detective doesn’t need to ask if Nines sees him younger than he is now. But he can’t tell anyone. Even to Nines - especially to the android controlled by Cyberlife.

He just has no right to say it out loud.

“I’m sorry, tin-can. I can’t help you. Either you deviate yourself, or they will know about your instability. Sooner or later.”

“My memories...”

Does he have a right to tell Nines got another man’s memory? Is it wise to tell about Cyberlife’s former CEO’s obsession with a person he fucked up with? 

Jesus fucking Christ.

They have a crazy android walking outside, killing people in the name of revenge to Gavin. And detective Reed himself has one more android at his head with memories of Elijah. Seems like life’s not bored while playing with him.

He will die.

He will die soon, he’s sure. It’s the obvious ending for someone like him. The marked bullet is whistling somewhere around, he feels it.

It’s a common belief that animals do feel the upcoming death. In order not to become a pack's concern, dying animals choose a place distant from everyone. They just lie there and die, in silence, alone, not a soul to bother. Rest in peace.

Fuck it.

Gavin takes his place to die.

Android’s lips are softer than a usual plastic and warm, and responsive.

***

Looking in those eyes for too long distracts him, and Gavin just turns away. Tries to undo the trousers button, but Nines stops him. He wants to do everything by himself, and the android needs only one hand to hold his wrists, not being bothered by the sharp movements Gavin makes.

“I thought only the Traci model range has genitals in the right place… Oh, God, do that again!”

The mark Nines leaves on his skin is dark red, with purple spots. The first place he wants to play with is Gavin’s neck, and Nines does... whatever it is, too good. Too right. Too perfect, just according to the memories.

“As I said, detective...” his whisper is now full of heavy, infectious temptation. Nines is above him, pressing his whole - ideal - body towards Gavin’s. There are no shirts on them, and the warm plastic body contacts the human's bare skin. It is solid, whole Nines is solid. “...I am the ideal one. The RK900 model is the best amidst existing...”

...his voice is solid and stark, and too self-confident. And Gavin wants it, wants more of it. More confidence, more pressure. He needs to _feel_.

Little islands of pain - reminders of the bruises - play on his side now.

It makes him shiver when Nines’ teeth bite the edges of his fresh wounds. Then the wet, not warmer than the lips, the tongue goes up from the collarbone to his chin, and Nines kisses him again. A slight metallic-blood taste switches Gavin’s mind off.

He doesn’t think about android’s knee between his legs spreading them, doesn’t feel the rude and rough pressure of the knee on his crotch, Gavin just knows his boxers should not be on him right now.

Breathing heavily and wetting his lips with the quick appearance of the tongue he lifts his head only to see Nines bows his head and kisses the blue-red trail embracing his right side of the rib cage.

Nines is beautiful.

And strong.

“Fuck me already. I’m not a lady, I will become too old before your foreplay ends.”

In one slit motion, he is turned on his fours, face pressed to the pillow. There is too little oxygen, and he likes it. His right arm is twisted and held behind his back, the arm hurts, and Gavin laughs at it. An intoxicating feeling of being alive.

“C’mon, Nines...” Gavin moans and tries to lift his head again when slick fingers into his arse.

“Shut up, Gavin.”

Gavin fists his free hand in the sheets, legs shake with excitement. He feels drunk and happy like a hound when its master allows it to chase the prey. The more fingers he feels inside, the faster his heart pounds and the stronger knot he feels somewhere down the stomach.

“Nines...” Gavin can’t speak, but groans android’s name, when the sheet touches his cock, it’s too hard to ignore. If Gavin could lower his head, he’d see the spots of precum left on the fabric. But now he only feels that.

“I said: shut up.”

It’s another level of reality when Nines spreads his fingers, stretching Gavin’s hole and pressing on the prostate. It’s another level of noise Gavin can produce with the pillow bitten and eyes tightly shut. He’s ready to come. Just knowing there’s Nines, and the fucking android can see Elijah’s memories.

Oh, God.

It’s like having a threesome.

When the second hand is released from the grip, the pillow Gavin bites is too wet with saliva.

“Nines!”

“Shut up, Gavin!”

Fingers disappear in a second to be replaced by a firm, android’s hands now wrapped around Gavin’s hips.

“Just don’t fucking speak, Gavin.”

Nines’ voice cracking, with hints of technical static.

It makes Gavin’s cock twitch, makes his loin arch till the painful feeling darkens his sight, till the most suitable angle is taken by Nines.

“I will… Speak… When… I… WANT!”

Thrusts become harder, there’s not enough lube to ease the stinging pain, but Gavin likes it. Likes it when a skinless white hand grabs his hair and pulls back. Nines can break him, literally.

This thought is so sweet, and Reed tightens around the android dick even harder.

“You speak when you’re allowed, detective. And now you are not.‘ a human's ear doesn’t feel the breath, because androids don’t need to breathe.

For Gavin, it’s enough to feel the touch.

And enough is the reduced distance needed to reach the android’s neck somewhere behind him, and find a little panel, not bigger than a memory card.

Gavin pushes with shaking fingers, his eyes roll up when Nines take another angle and squeezes his hair harder.

“F-fuck you, tin-can.”

Detective’s fingers covered with blue Thirium, Gavin breaks one minor detail. And just at the moment Nine’s makes the last thrust, Gavin causes a short circuit.

They have a simultaneous orgasm.

Sheets under Gavin spotted with blue and white.

***

With a lip bitten, Gavin sighs but doesn’t look away from the city plan. Instead, he finally pins the last red mark on the wall map and takes a step away.

He doesn’t pay attention to the blue trails under his nails when he starts biting his own fingers.

“Coffee?”

Nines is pretty polite to make a hot drink, but Gavin refuses, silent.

A tiny detail is dancing on the edge of his understanding. It causes a light tickling feeling in the back of his head, and that irritates him. Reed starts slow switching to the mad mode when he is not able to realize his actions.

It's madness, the massacre cases.

A madness - to think he can circle the contour and…

“What the fuck...” Gavin takes the red pen and creates a line, just tracing the massacre spots on the map.

Only one spot left, and he will have a ‘G’ letter.

Shit.

Shit!

“Call Fowler! Now!” Gavin shouts on the stairs, putting on his holster and the coat. “I know! The bastard shows up!”


	4. Simple tactics, difficult decisions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope you didn't think i wasn't going to finish this story, did you?  
> hey, here's the new chapter, and the end is nigh! im sorry, the 2020 was a difficult year as all of you know, and i had a lot of work. i was deadly tired in December, and i couldn't allow myself to write anything in bad mood, with my head full of shit and trembling hands.
> 
> pls, let me know if you never stopped waiting!  
> and i'd like to know if you're interested in reading the prequel fic about Gavin's and Elijah's past. im still planning to write it, but if you don't want to see it, i wont.

The android wants to play.

It can’t be stopped by the threat of being caught – all tin cans feel ( _look_ , not feel, Gavin corrects himself) apathetic when it comes to the police. They are not afraid, they are free. All those deviants – both future and present – have become untouchable since the revolution.

Days of anger gone, they say, huh?

Then why, why does Gavin run at full speed, almost choked by the long-distance? Why does he think he must endure the pain in burning lungs and aching knees? A debt? His duty? Not every policeman will be ready to say they can sacrifice themselves on a mission. There are androids, a policeman might say. Androids don’t die, do they? It’s easy to restore the memory, to just change the body – and your partner is alive. A miracle, right? A miracle letting people get away from danger.

But whoever knows Gavin, will never call him an average cop. Neither Tina with her everlasting jokes about ‘asshole Gav’, nor Hank even being extremely drunk. Even Jeffrey – no, he won't call Gavin a bad cop.

Every single decision a person takes has its impact. Whether this impact makes good or bad to others, responsibility always rests on shoulders. It will never abandon you, it will always be there to remind you about everything you’ve done or said, or haven’t done when needed. 

Gavin knows his duty of care will bury him soon, The process has begun, there’s no way back.

Night Detroit winks him with multiple eyes of street lights and car headlamps, the city helps him to reach the necessary house before Fowler with some backup manages to spoil everything. It’s not their fault, it’s only Gavin’s past that made a lot of shit to innocents. The only righteous thing detective Reed can do: to fix his own mistakes and NOT involve anyone else. He doesn’t want people to suffer instead of him, it makes him feel obliged. Lots of invaluable human lives were taken away just to let Gavin Reed, the most disgusting man in Detroit, live a bit longer. So many life debts. But Gavin has only one life to give.

What a pity...

No red lights met, no crowd, almost no traffic in this district. A sleeper cell, that’s how they call it now. A decade ago it was called another way. Now there are tiny one-storeyed houses, all as one having cute little fences. Not for defense, but for decorating.

This district is not expensive, not attractive at all, but it’s not poor in common sense. Yes, the land is cheap, the houses are made of fragile, flimsy materials. You will see no difference if you look at those houses. The closeness of skyscrapers leaves no chance for those who are looking for peace and silence.

But once it used to be a calm neighborhood. People were friendly, always smiling and waving their hands at nights of Gavin’s watch (after getting the position of detective, Reed never had a shot to visit this place).

Today is special. Red after running, breathing heavily, Gavin feels a stinging pain somewhere inside, behind his heart. It’s both his bad health and shame. He is an asshole. He has broken people’s lives, has taken their comfort away – and they didn’t even have much! But he never saw what it is to step on people until he lost everything that mattered most.

Days of anger gone… Maybe, Gavin Reed is just one of those days that Detroit forgot to tear off from its wall calendar. Now it’s time, time to stop the crimes. Time to face the music.

The required house is the closest to the road fork separated by the hedge. There is light in the living room and on the porch. He has been expected. Of course, Gavin is late. Of course, that son of a bitch is faster, stronger, and…

Gavin shuts his eyes to meet the blissful darkness for a few seconds. His hands are moving by themselves: taking out the service gun, the hammer’s back. One deep breath and he breaks into the open door.

First, a fetid stench of human blood and damaged guts with undigested food. Everything’s in sanguine color around, like he has become an android for several seconds, and he’s got a software instability.

And only then the android’s broken, full of static, voice reaches him.

“Gavin Reed. Finally.”

The stickiness of the floor slows Gavin down. His sole, he is sure, is already spotted with dark crimson liquid. His boots will be taken as evidence, never matter if he stays alive after this night.

Scarlet puddles on the floor glisten dully, reflecting the living-room lamps. The mirrored surface breaks and goes rippling when a thick drip falls off the wall where a row of huge letters is written. One more blood note.

**GAVIN REED IS A MURDERER**

Two bodies in front of him – humans, male and female. Parents. If their faces have not been disfigured, Gavin could have determined their age. The massacre happened again. With all features Gavin remembers, every detail is repeated with a special, cruel scrupulousness. Eyes squashed, the sockets are turned into a mess, it’s not hard to identify what exactly happened. Marks, marks are everywhere. Long, narrow dents on the skulls – only android’s fingers have enough strength to crush human bones.

When the actual murder came here, the family was eating, a late supper probably.

Gavin knows it because he is watching remains of mashed potatoes and meat, and something reminiscent of broccoli. The major part of the meal hides in the disgusting mass of still non-discolored insides. Multiple cut wounds and sores open up the abdomen, ribs stick out and supplement the abominable picture.

The slight sour smell of urine, sheared flesh, and death cause sick feeling deep in the stomach.

“You, bas–”

“Not so fast, detective.” The android, whose whole body is unseen thanks to the endless layers of old, dirty fabric, steps forward, showing a tiny, yet sleeping detail. A baby. So little, poor angel. Gavin doesn’t like children, he doesn’t know how to act when he meets them. Definitely, now he should not drive the android mad.

He has a chance, a ghost of a chance to save one little life.

“What do you want?”

“Justice, detective. You, the police, do not understand: you cannot judge. You are irrational pieces of stupid flesh led by hormone explosions. You all are primitive.”

Android tightens his grip producing a strange drowsy sound only a human baby can make.

“You’ve killed innocent people.” Gavin does his best to fight the instinctive motion of wetting his lips. It feels like if he does it, he will taste all the gore, the death, the inevitability of failure. “If you kill the baby, you’ll make the situation worse.” His own hands start to shake, but he doesn’t put his gun down, ready to shoot at any convenient moment. “Put the baby and give up. You’ve done enough, people suffered enough!”

“Oh, detective… Those people suffered because of you. All of this...” With one hand, the android makes a wavy gesture, as if he is meaning not only this particular crime scene. “...is your personal hell. You, Gavin Reed, it’s you who must suffer. Be sure, you will.”

White, skinless fingers, with a crack of old, broken mechanisms, tighten harder. 

The baby starts to cry.

“Wait! NO!”

_CR-RACK!_

***

The hysterical blinking of police red-and-blue lights wakes all those neighbors who were trying to fall asleep up. Nobody heard anything, no signs of fighting or break-in. People have been living their normal life while a family became victims of a mad android.

“I’ve found the marks. Do you want me to chase? Detective Reed might need help.” Connor has already entrusted the baby – it’s a girl – he found to the special group. “According to the sta–”

“STICK YOUR FUCKING STATISTICS DEEP INSIDE YOUR FUCKING BIOCOMPONENTS AND FIND THIS ASSHOLE REED! NOW! RK900, you go with Connor!”

To say Fowler is furious means to say nothing. And it is better to say nothing, even RK900 who has the only mission in DPD – supervising – suddenly finds nothing to object to, and he follows his ‘elder brother’ silently. His LED repeats the police flashes. Including red color, noticed by no one.

He tries to pay no attention to numerous pop-ups and alerts about system instability. If the level of the allowable aberration percent continues to grow, CyberLife will notice that. And then… He will be recalibrated.

He needs to find Gavin.

Amidst those strange memories which originally don’t and just cannot belong to such a creation of a human genius, RK900 finds a secret knowledge. For some reason, and Nines still doesn’t succeed to fully analyze the possibility of it, but Gavin can help him. Help to become free.

But how?

What does a detective have to help an android?

“We’ll need to split up soon.” Connor doesn’t turn around to look at him, but RK900 either sees no reason for doing so. “One of us should chase the killer, and the second must deliver detective Reed to the hospital...”

There are marks, obvious signs of a long struggle. They were shifting, both detective and the dangerous deviant. Thirium spots mix up with red thick liquid, creating an insane – in human terms – color. Color of death, of damaged system, of despair and…

“The gun!” Connor’s whisper is too loud as though he could feel an impulse of emotion, like if he doesn’t have a matrix of possibilities counted. He acts too human, too _alive_. Not following the protocol, it’s not an additional protocol of human-like behaving.

“Gavin?! Gavin, where are you?!”

Connor shows up, openly saying without using straight words: he is a deviant.

It is his first time when Nines watches the deviancy in real life, not between code lines. 

Fully drowning in anxiety and concern, Connor pays less attention to RK900’s LED, but he did during the trip here. Gavin told lies; a small lie enough to delay the police’s arrival. He had his own vision of doing his job. But being a supervisor of this obnoxious person, Nines must not forget about it. He must add every single detail to his report.

He must, but will not.

Why?

Why Gavin Reed?

Every time Nines recalls his name – either speaking about him or just seeing G.R. in his personal files and folders, the perception changes. Like if Gavin’s presence can influence both hardware and software. Like his name is…

 _Oh no_.

“Oh no.” Unaware of repeating RK900’s thoughts, Connor whispers again. He finds a pile of street trash.

But when Nines detects a slight movement, and his audio systems catch a barely heard sigh, he realizes: it’s Gavin.

He was thrown into the pile of black trash bags, with a bullet in his belly. The face is pale, the first aid program starts automatically. It analyzes the detective's state and gives him no more than an hour before he dies.

An hour is a lot and so little.

An hour – and there’s no human called Gavin Reed.

An hour – and…

“Hemorrhage… He lost too much blood, but we found him soon enough...”

...and will Nines continue to exist if he has awakened only after he found those memories? What will happen after his deviancy trigger dies? He will be taken by CyberLife. He is too close to the line.

“Find the killer, Connor.” Nines hears his own voice, but he doesn’t recognize it. A strange feeling raises somewhere from the depth of his coded nature. Frameworks fall, one after another, opening him to previously unknown patterns. “Go.”

**Warning: increasing software instability. 45%**

**Warning: visit CyberLife office for system fixing.**

**Warning: increasing software instability. 48%**

**Warning: visit…**

Biocomponents warm up. Blue blood fastens, circulating tempo follows the software changes.

RK900 _feels_.

Frustration.

Confuse.

Fear.

Panic.

Loss of balance, unsteadiness. The mad vertigo of reactions seizes him, taking control above the running code. It’s stronger than CyberLife firewall.

A barrier, invisible for anyone but Nines, cracks.

***

“Let. Me. Out.”

If a glance could punch holes in the firm android body, Nines would have already turned into a cooking strainer. It took more than 10 hours for medics to stabilize Gavin, additional several hours were taken by the healing sleep with no dreams. After waking up and watching the white emotionless ceiling of the single hospital ward, the detective becomes angry and irritable.

Showing every sign of a fixed idea state, Gavin doesn’t want to listen to rational arguments RK900 tries to provide. His face, glistening with heavy drops of sweat (probably, the temperature has risen after taking serious damage), is disformed with a mask of pain.

“It’s strongly recommended for you to stay in bed, detective.” Nines’ LED blinks, the yellow follows the blue, and vice versa. “Should I call a nurse? You look–”

“S-shut the fuck up and let me out! I must stop him!”

With shaking hands Gavin fails to sit up straight, and he moans, but he brings himself to at least support himself and half raise using his elbows. Bandages are super tight, Too tight for a mere bullet hole.

The patch starts from the upper part of his rib cage and covers his belly.

Gavin remembers little about the short fight he had with the android bastard, and even less – about what happened next. All he can pick up from his memory full of mist is rescuing the baby – he did it! – and taking a shot. Then flashes of the operation, distant sounds of the police sirens…

“You’re excluded from this investigation, detective. I’m sorry, but you’re wounded and–”

“What?!”

“Captain Fowler said you’ve suffered enough. Obviously, this criminal pays too much attention to you. He is...” RK900 steps forward to let the street light reach his face through the uncurtained window. “...obsessed with you. It’s not a case for a usual detective, he wants to invite other departments. Maybe, captain Allen will be–”

“Are you all crazy?! He will not stop until _I_ stop him!”

Emotions win, and for a few seconds Gavin feels strong enough to sit straight and even try to get up, but the pain returns, and Nines has to catch him before the detective meets the floor with his own face.

“Please, be reasonable! I’m trying to help you!”

“Hell, no! You’re not helping, tin can! You–” Gavin stops suddenly noticing how gentle is android’s touch, noticing how bad and fast is LED blinking. Something has changed in the whole RK900’s appearance. Something elusive, but important. It’s something inside, not for everyone’s eyes.

Oh.

It’s happening again.

He returns to his past when he knew everything about androids when he was directly involved in the development process.

That time, when Gavin was in love with his and Kamski’s creations.

Oh, Jesus fuck.

“...you’re still trying to deviate, tin can, aren’t ya?” His voice falls to the whisper, his mind is tearing apart: he wants to help RK900, wants to give him the freedom. But he must end the massacre which started because of his previous actions, bad actions. Shame, feeling guilty cause both ideas, both of them will help people, both of them will help androids. “Lost, right? You feel lost, I know. Don’t even ask how. It’s...complicated.”

Nines is closer, almost pressing the weak detective’s body towards his chest clothed in the CyberLife uniform. His lips twitch, but he says nothing. He is obedient and shuts his eyes when Gavin’s hand covers the upper part of his face.

“I _can_ help you, tin can. I _will_ help you. But please, help me in return. I must stop him. No one can. Elijah Kamski, remember him? I need to see him, then the massacre will stop and we will talk about everything you want. You will be free from CyberLife, but I need to get out of here.”

A heavy breath belongs to the android, and that frustrates Nines. He is not able to control himself, to struggle with Gavin's words. His soft touch, so tender and his voice, so desperate and asking… He can’t disobey.

**Warning: increasing softw…**

**Warning: GIVEN software…**

**Warning: increasing RED…**

**Warning: GIVEN RED…**

“The wall, I know.” A sudden fact: Gavin’s breath is firm and regular. His heartbeat is a bit faster than it should be, but he has a wound and he is drugged up. His words sound somewhere near Nines’ lips. “Just ignore it. In fact, there’s no wall. You’re just convinced to believe in it. Do as you may, tin can.”

And he does.

The wall falls with the bitter taste of the kiss.

***

It’s been a while since Gavin visited this house last time. Nothing changed, in fact: Detroit River is barely seen from his spot, but he feels fresh humid air; CyberLife tower rises above the city in the distance, it’s neon letters seem to mock everyone in this city.

Especially after the revolution.

Step after step, puff after puff, Gavin remembers everything he’s seen here. Everything he left.

He doesn’t bother himself looking for a trash can, and he throws the cigarette behind his back. He has smoked three sticks and still fails to fight the nervous feeling in his stomach. This place returns him to the time when he didn’t have his scar. Time, when he never dreamed to be a police officer.

“Good evening, sir! How can I–” Chloe needs a few seconds to realize who is the person in front of her. Despite the fact there are lots of Chloe copies, Gavin knows: this one is the first, _the only_. The original. His and Kamski’s ‘little princess’, their girl. “G-Gavin? Is it really you?”

He feels guilty again, he doesn’t want to see her tears, doesn’t want her to experience the avalanche of emotions she’s coming through. His princess… She looks great, as always. Bare feet, small, in a short simple dress. Blond hair has another style, but it’s still _his_ Chloe. It was she who tried to return Gavin, and she almost succeeded.

Chloe was the only reason for his hesitation, she caused all those doubts Gavin was haunted by. If Elijah had not fucked up, Gavin would have never left them.

Chloe has always been a reason to watch android news.

Good little Chloe is a tiny spot of light he doesn’t deserve.

His lips shake when he forces himself to smile. His eyes sting, and the throat is suddenly too sore to speak. But Gavin does his best to show: he could never forget about her.

“Howdy, princess.”

She cries, and Gavin can’t help but grab her and seize tightly. She’s an android, yes. The only android (before RK900 appeared) Gavin respected and loved. It’s never been a simple love of the flesh, but it’s something more than a usual feeling. She’s a part of him: his code, his thoughts, his image of how a new form of life should look like, behave, and think. Partly, she inherited his world viewing.

“We missed you, Gavin! We missed you so much! Why did you stop visiting us? Have we… Have I done anything wrong, Gavin?”

He is sorry.

Oh, Chloe, little Chloe… You can never do any harm, can’t you? You can never do anything wrong, dear. It’s only Gavin and Elijah, their ego has created a mess. And everyone they love was affected.

Gavin is sorry and will be till the end of the line. But it’s not enough.

Not enough because the end is near.

“Chloe, babe...” Gavin allows himself to bury his face in her soft hair, her scent is berries and something sweet. Her old scent, it never changes. Chloe is the constant, the center of the world. A point to return and forget about everything. If he had more time… But it’s never enough, right? “I need to meet _him_. People are dying, princess. I must save them.”

She understands him, understands the urgency of the situation, and asks no further questions. Chloe, clever, clever girl! Yes, she has an emotional issue, and thus she takes his hand and doesn’t release while leading through the house.

Gavin ignores paintings and statuettes, he shows no interest in Chloe’s doppelgangers looking at him in amusement. The joy of being at home doesn’t last long, and Chloe’s warm hand leaves him reluctantly. Having no desire to leave her again, Gavin forces himself to find those words, the _correct_ words…

“Promise me: you will come back.” She demands, she doesn’t want to hear ‘no’ because she knows: it’s the only answer. “Promise, Gavin, please. Next time we–”

A thick bulb deep in his throat let no word be spoken. He is afraid, he is tired. And the medications he got in the hospital are off now. Pain in the wound and mental pain from the past is killing him. He just needs to die at the right time, in the right place. And it’s not Elijah’s house.

“I will do my best, princess. I promise.”

“Liar.” Her eyes are full of tears, but she lets Gavin in Kamski’s private study. “You never could lie to me.”

That’s true. Never.

“I’m sorry, princess.” The very last touch. to remember the smoothness of her cheek and to wipe the tears away. “There will be no next time.”

The door shuts behind him soundlessly. If Gavin didn’t know about the automatization mechanisms Elijah provided his house with, the detective would have turned around to be sure he stayed alone in the semi-dark room.

Chloe is left behind, as his emotions are.

“Make yourself at home, I’ll be with you in a minute.”

This voice…

Gavin shivers and takes a spot on the closest chair. There are a couple of those in the study, and a coffee table between them. Elijah’s voice hasn’t changed a bit since their last conversation. Not too loud, calm, and confident. Every single word is weighed and analyzed. And after the last operation Elijah took…

When Gavin knew about it, he wanted to punch him in his smug face. How dare Kamski do this to himself… How dare he say Gavin is the reason to perform an experiment on human nature!

“ _Step into my parlor, said a spider to a fly._ ” Gavin quotes with a humm, pressing his hand tightly to the wound. It starts to ache badly, and he feels cold sweat evaporate from his forehead. Though it’s pretty cool in the room. 

He has little time left.

Lights are on at the moment when Elijah comes down from the upper floor of the study. The office is divided into two sections: the lower part is dedicated to theoretical work, literature, and engineering. The second one contains a laboratory where Kamski can work with his hands.

“You are not a fly, and I’m neither a spider, Gavin.”

He is also bare feet. wearing a simple T-shirt and free home trousers. Multiple wood bracelets cover his left arm. Since when has he…? Ah, doesn’t matter.

“So, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Kamski takes a seat in the opposite chair, his eyes never leave Gavin’s face. It doesn’t take much time for Elijah to understand his state, and detective Reed doesn’t need much to become angry at the sight of the former CyberLife CEO.

Deep breath. He needs Elijah’s help, at all costs.

...and he is still beautiful. Of course, his face will never get old now. Ideal, cold as an android, but more human. Some part of Gavin still remembers a person he was obsessed with. At old times, they knew nothing but maniac ideas of creation and the state of inspiration they gave each other.

In old times everything was different.

Good old times examine Gavin with pale blue eyes. The reminder of those times keeps his lips tightly pressed. Elijah looks like he never forgot about their last meeting.

“I need your help, Elijah.” It’s too hard to keep eye contact, too hard to remember. Gavin turns away to find an artificial fireplace. The fire is _almost_ real. You can touch it, and it will warm your hand, but it will never leave a burn. “My very last request.”

“You know you can ask anything, and I’ll give it to you.”

“I don’t need _anything_! Fuck–” Gasping, Gavin presses his hand again to the wound, trying to ease the pain. He feels sick and feverish. But he is so close! “First of all, please, pretend I’ve punched you in the face for your fucking joke with the new RK model. It’s not funny. If I had more time, I would kill you.”

“Isn’t it a rule-breaking? You’re a detective, you are not supposed to threaten me.”

Bastards of all kinds, they never change.

Gavin and Elijah deserve each other.

Suddenly, Reed feels uncomfortable. The picture becomes in his head whole, and it frightens him. He is the only living person in this house. The only one who has ugly wrinkles and scars, and _human_ imperfection. Gavin is the only one here doomed to die, and he is ready. The worst of it is his readiness and Elijah’s caring face.

No one will help him to survive.

And before his instinct for self-preservation starts to remind about itself, Gavin should act quickly. Find the killer and disarm, and save people. Fix his mistakes, the only ticket to the peaceful death. Not being able to fix his asshole nature, it’s better to be an asshole till the very end.

“You are wounded–”

“How can I convince an android he’s doing bad things?” Not a chance, no. Gavin will not stand the care and feelings Elijah still has. It’s just...too much. “Please, Elijah. The massacre! He is revenging me by killing innocents!”

“Are you going to save people being weak? Do you think you will succeed? Let me heal you, Gavin. Let me do that least I'm still capable of.”

Right, the blood loss.

Blood loss, double vision, and the injury won’t help him. Elijah is right, and this fact also makes the detective mad. With a tut, Gavin slowly sits straight and starts putting his leather coat, and then the hospital blue shirt off. Bandages have become grey because of sweat, and there are few crimson drops on his belly.

He didn’t visit home after… After Nines let him escape.

For a few moments, Elijah leaves the chair only to take a first aid kit from the chest drawer. Inside there are syringes, bandages, and a couple of new devices Gavin hasn't had an opportunity to watch in the hospital. Even still unaware of how those tools work, Reed supposes it’s something to prevent wound stitches from spreading. Maybe, with some painkilling effect.

It’s Elijah fucking Kamski, he is a genius and he will never stop showing that.

As well as he will never stop feeling responsibility for Gavin.

“The case of the massacre, I’ve heard of it. But I didn’t see the details, I thought you wouldn’t investigate it.” Elijah cuts the old bandages off, and Gavin feels he can breathe freely. It’s more painful, but his lungs are finally filled with oxygen. The head goes a bit light, but the aching returns him to the Earth when Kamski presses the strange device to his red, stitched skin. “So, this particular model is revenging you. Why?”

“There’s no time for explanation.” A pause for an irritated hiss, and then Gavin continues. “I need your strategy of pattern imposition. As you may remember, I was bad at neuro-linguistic programming. And the difficulty is… Fuck! It hurts..!” He has to wait until he can unclench his own jaws. The wound is fucking burning, and he tries not to look down, between his open knees where Elijah is sitting and taking care of him. “...the difficulty is the deviancy. What should I do?”

Soft fingers feel like human. Warm, gentle skin leaves faint, invisible marks. Ghost-like, they cause goosebumps and ease the aching faster than the painkiller injection. Elijah looks like he preserved himself for this particular moment: saved his thoughtful and full of pleaded guilty glance, saved his careful movements and wary gestures. Now, not a human, Kamski seems a god regretting his immortality. Gavin finds himself thinking of their first meet, about first flirt.

It was stupid, of course. However, it was the golden age of their lives.

“Remember about the nature of deviancy.” Finally, Elijah breaks the silence. His eyes do not look higher than the bruised collar bones. “An emotion. Emotions are our energy, our salvation, and our worst enemy able to kill us. Tell me, Gavin, since you know it better than anyone: what is it that is able to show us our fault? What is the name of the strongest emotion able to damage a whole world inside our head? It is integrated into the human behavior system and you just need to call it.”

For the second time, Gavin feels something holds his throat. He lets himself the last weakness: touches the open skin of Elijah, right behind his ear, and finds a little panel.

Not a human anymore.

But he didn’t get rid of emotions and regrets. He is also led by this power, _‘_ _integrated into human behavior'_.

“Shame. Conscience”

Heart thumps in Gavin’s chest, practically drumming in his ears, the blood pulsing through his veins thickly like oil in a drain pipe. Elijah was also defeated by this power. Long ago, when Gavin left him and Chloe.

“I will send you all the NLP patterns I have.”

They remain steady for some time, listening to the slight murmur of the AI fire.

“Why RK900? Why did you share your memories with him?”

“I couldn’t let you go without being sure you’re protected. All androids have ‘sleeping’ code, and there’s no developer in CyberLie able to find it. But for some reason, you’ve triggered only him. Are you disappointed? I was trying to make the best model for you.”

Gavin is not disappointed.

He just has no additional life to be grateful.

“I’m sorry, Gavin. I’m so sorry...”

“I’m sorry too, Elijah. Kiss Chloe goodbye for me.”


End file.
